Best Odor Eliminating Cat Litter

Tidy Cats Breeze Cat Litter Refill Pellets

This simple traditional pellet litter gets rave reviews for its innovative odor-control system. Designed to work with the brands litter box system, this litter allows cat urine to pass through to a scented, odor-controlling absorbent pad in the bottom section of the litter box. Scoop solid waste daily, then slide out and replace the pad every week.

What we like about it:

• Low-maintenance

This clay cat litter from Chewys in-house brand, Frisco, reduces ammonia to absorb odors and works fastbefore the smells spread. Free of fragrances, this litter is a good choice if you or your cat need to avoid perfumes.

What we like about it:

• No added perfumes or scents
• Quick-clumping litter

Tips For Using Cat Litter For Odor Control

No matter which brand of odor-ousting cat litter you choose, experts agree that theres plenty you can do to ensure you get the best results for a great-smelling home. Here are some proven tips for success:

• The absolute best way to control odors is to regularly maintain and clean your cats litter box. Scooping daily, especially in a multi-cat household, is key to controlling unseemly smells. As an added bonus, if you scoop daily, you really only need to replace clay litter every two to three weeks, which saves you money, too.

• No matter what schedule the cat litter manufacturer recommends for changing the litter in your box, always rely on your best judgment . There are a lot of variables that can affect how well litter performs, from your cats diet to climate and humidity. So dome boxes may need to be cleaned more frequently than others.

• If your cat will tolerate it, a litter box with a hood can help contain the stink . Automatic litter boxes that scoop and contain smelly waste are another odor-fighting option. Just be sure to choose a cat litter thats designed for self-scooping litter boxes, which often jam when traditional cat litter is used.

• If using a litter liner to make cleanup easier, be aware that kitty claws can easily get caught in the tough plastic lining, which could harm your cat.

Frisco All Natural Unscented Clumping Grass Cat Litter Premium Choice

The Frisco all-natural unscented clumping cat litter takes a different route from other litters. Instead of clay, corn, or walnuts, this blend uses 100% natural grass. Its extremely soft and easy on your cats paws. Moreover, its very easy to sift through. It forms clumps very quickly, which prevents them from sticking to the litter box. Since its ultra-absorbent, it can easily take a lot of liquid at once.

Luckily, this blend is completely free from chemicals, dyes, and fragrances that can turn your cat off and make them averse to some litters. Its entirely eco-friendly, made out of biodegradable ingredients. Better yet, its a very low dust litter, so you dont have to worry about it causing or exacerbating respiratory problems.

This formula is a bit more expensive than some of the others that we tested, though its very effective and completely natural, so were fine with spending a bit more on it. However, it should be noted that this blend isnt as good at odor control as some of the other products weve tested. It does neutralize odors to some extent, but we found that we were having to change this litter more often to avoid foul odors.

• Made from 100% natural grass
• Ultra-absorbent formula clumps quickly
• No added chemicals, dyes, or fragrances

• Not as effective at odor control

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Feline Pine Unscented Non

Feline Pine makes a great alternative to clay cat litters with their unscented non-clumping wood cat litter. This blend is made from pure pine shavings, providing a naturally pleasant scent and excellent odor control. Compared to other formulas, this one does a great job at containing those foul odors.

Because its so absorbent, you can use less of this litter than youd have to use with clay litter. Furthermore, its priced very affordably, so using this litter can potentially save you quite a bit of money in the long run.

One of the big advantages of this litter is the lack of dust. You can pour it into the litter box without worry and there wont be a dust cloud to avoid breathing in. Even though theres no dust, this cat litter does tend to track more than others we tested, so expect to see signs of it around your home.

Some of our cats seemed averse to this blend. Worse, some of our testers were too because its a non-clumping formula. This can make it more difficult to remove waste and spot clean the litter, which is why this blend didnt make it into our top three.

• Tracks more than other options
• Some cats dont like it
• The non-clumping formula can be difficult to spot clean

How To Get Rid Of Cat Litter Odor

Cat litter can often emit pungent smells, but thats very normal. It is an add-on to clean it, but life becomes much easier with a litter box in your home. However, you can try these ways to eliminate the odor when it does smell bad.

Clean regularly

One of the best ways to ensure smell doesnt retain inside or around the litter box is cleaning it two times a day. Scoop the litter out as you go and add in fresh litter alongside. Cats prefer to use a cleaner litter box which will also avoid any carpet incidents. In addition to this, you could wash the litter box completely once a week. Daily scooping will hardly be enough, and make sure to use the best odor absorbing cat litter.

Pick the best litter

Knowing which litter to use is very important. Clumping litter is much more convenient than any other scented or odor-covering litter. They usually have additives that are harmful to pets, and cleaning them out isnt as convenient. Clumping litter will ensure that hard lumps are formed, even of urine, so you can quickly just scoop it all out. Have a look at some of the best cat litter for urine odor control before you choose.

Check Your Cats diet

Add on an air purifier

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What Kinds Of Litter Does The Brand Offer

Arm & Hammer currently offers a wide variety of different products including clay-based clumping cat litters, lightweight and unscented cat litters, natural cat litters, and related pet products.

This brand offers 16 different formulas for clumping cat litter, two of which are labeled easy clean-up and three of which are lightweight. There are seven products specifically designed for multi-cat households and three that are unscented.

Arm & Hammer also offers 4 natural litter products and 4 other products including cat litter deodorizer spray and powders as well as stain- and odor-eliminating cleaning products for pet owners.

The three formulas were reviewing here include two clumping cat litter formulas and one cat litter box deodorizer powder.

Choose The Right Litter Box

The right litter box is the foundation for a healthy, minimally odoriferous litter environment.

Choose a litter box that is at least 1.5 times as long as your cat and at least equally wide. If your cat measures 18 from nose to rump, the box should be at least 27 long and 18 wide. This makes it a comfortably spacious area for your cat, discourages accidents over the edge, and keeps the litter box from getting full too quickly.

A hooded litter box can help to contain odors. As long as the box is scooped daily and kept clean, theres nothing wrong with using a covered box. Cats generally show no preference for covered or uncovered boxes, but its important to be prudent and think of your cat before making a decision. If the odor is serious or the box isnt well-maintained, the enclosed space could become a stinking chamber of unhappiness for your cat.

Some litter boxes have non-stick coatings that help to prevent clumps of urine from sticking to the sides of the box. Ideally, the box should have accessible corners and edges that are easy to scrape. Inside curves, for example, can make it difficult to completely clean the litter box. The entire design should facilitate easy cleanup and thorough waste removal.

You might also opt for an automatic litter box. While these can help to free you from the burden of scooping cat litter, automatic litter boxes are expensive and might scare away your cat with the noises they make.

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The 5 Best Cat Litters For Odor Control And Clumping

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Cleaning the litter box is the most dreaded job of any cat guardian, but high-quality cat litter makes the task easier. What makes a person happy, however, can be the exact opposite of what a cat prefers. If the texture is wrong or the litter is perfumed, a cat may choose to do their business outside of the box.

We set out to find the best cat litters to please both cat and guardian. To learn more about the litter preferences of cats and their toileting needs, we consulted four veterinarians. Guided by their advice, we tested 28 different litters, including clay, paper, silica gel, wood, grass, and corn substrates. Editorial review samples were provided by their manufacturers, with the exception of Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Multi-Cat Strength Litter.

We tested each kitty litter for one to four weeks to evaluate its weight, shape, softness, dust, scent, clumping ability, ease of cleaning, odor control, tracking, and cost. Read more about our testing process in the methodology slide. Scroll to the end of this guide to learn more about types of litter and read our cat litter FAQs.

Can You Flush Cat Poop

Putting any cat litter down the drain can be harmful to local wildlife. The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies pet waste as a pollutant, which can introduce excess nutrients and harmful microorganisms like parasites and coliform bacteria into groundwater, rivers, and streams. Also, cat waste can cause toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection carried by cats that, in humans, can cause serious complications during pregnancy and for those with weakened immune systems. In California, evidence has linked toxoplasmosis from cat feces to increased mortality in sea otters, prompting legislation to attach anti-flushing notices on cat litter bags.

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Shop The Best Cat Litters For Odor Control

In a hurry? Here are the best cat litters for odor control:

• Also Great: A Deodorizer You Can Use With Your Existing Litter:NonScents Cat Litter Deodorizer

Keep scrolling to check out a wide range of litters, all of which effectively reduce bad smells according to hundreds of Amazon customers . If youre looking to use the litter scoop less frequently, you might also want to consider an automatic cat litter box that does a lot of the work for you.

Best Overall Cat Litter For Odor Control

Hard-working, budget-friendly, and widely available at nearly every grocery store, Tidy Cats is not only the #1 best-selling cat litter brand, its also the very first. Launched in 1954 by Ed Lowe, the inventor of cat litter, Tidy Cats has been at the forefront of cat litter trends ever since. And its Free & Clean formula is no exception. This unscented clumping clay cat litter uses odor-absorbing activated charcoal to banish bad smells instead of just covering them up. We didnt detect any suspicious scents from our two cats. Plus, its dye-free, fragrance-free, and low-dust, which makes it a well-rounded best overall in our book.

Highlights

Things to Consider

• As is the case with clay litters, some tracking can be expected

Sample buyer review: I didnt know Tidy Cats made the Free & Clean formula and was curious to see if charcoal vs. baking soda really would make a difference. I have two large litter boxes which I keep at 4 depth, scoop daily, and do a total change out every month. This particular formula does track, and I do have the mats under each box, but I cannot believe how little odor there is, even if I dont scoop every day. It really does clump hard. My older cat, Abby, does her business in only one spot in the corner so sometimes it doesnt clump up hard, but it is still an improvement. The low dust was also important as Abby has respiratory issues. Free & Clean is a win-win for me and my felines!

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Natural And Biodegradable Cat Litter

The most head-spinning part of the cat litter marketplace may be the natural and organic department. Your options include wheat, coconut, grass, cassava, pine, cedar, paper, tofu, and walnut litter. These options are eco-friendlier than many traditional cat litters, but they come at a price. They also might not offer the same performance as other litters.

Also Read: The 5 Best Natural Cat Litters

Heres a summary of the most popular types of biodegradable litter.

Many biodegradable cat litters are also flushable. Be sure to carefully read the label and consult local laws before you flush cat litter down the toilet, howeverflushing the wrong litter could be an expensive mistake.

Hartz Fresh Scent Deodorizing Litter Beads

Hartz Fresh Scent Deodorizing Beads represent a unique solution to the odor control problem, as theyre much larger than most other options. Theyre not really intended to mix with the litter, but rather to sit on top of it and soak up smells that way.

Unfortunately, not mixing with the litter means they also dont mix with the waste, which limits how much impact they can have. Being exposed to the air also causes them to lose their effectiveness quickly.

Even if they still have some potency left, trying to avoid them when scooping out the box is a real pain. Theyre too large to fall through the holes of most scoops, so youll have to painstakingly dig around them.

In their defense, theyre one of the least-messy deodorizers on the market, as they create no dust. Thats hardly enough to recommend them, though, which is why Hartz Fresh Scent Deodorizing Beads find themselves all the way down here.

• Difficult to avoid when scooping out the box
• Wont fall through holes of scoop

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Why My House Doesnt Smell Like Cats

Whenever friends learn that I live in a tiny studio apartment, they always ask how I can stand living with a cat, Doesnt he make it, well, stink? I always explain that unless weve been gone an unusually long period of time, we dont notice a litter box smell in our apartment. If we do, its a sign that we need to scoop, pronto!

Even if your cat is as small as adoptable Zorro, you need to take proper care of the litter box.I might be lazy about putting away my own laundry or personal clutter, but Im never lazy about Tobys litter box!

I used to be. When I first became Tobys cat mom, I knew very little about cats and how to care for their litter boxes. I hadnt grown up with one, but my roommate had so I followed her example. My roommate kept her cats covered litter box in a closed closet with a cat door. I thought the smell was inevitable. However, I soon got sick of the stink and developed a new routine.

Now, Tobys litter is scooped at least twice a day. Dr. Stephanie Janeczko recommends at least once or twice a day in her article Cleaning the Litter Box: How Often Is Best. Given Tobys size and our apartments lack of ventilation, twice a day as a minimum works better for us. Here are a few other things we do to control the scent:

Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance Scented Clumping Litter

If it turns out that the unscented odor-control litters are no match for your cat, it might be time to check out a well-regarded scented product. This clumping clay litter has a reputation for masking unpleasant litter box smells the scent itself is fairly mild.

What we like about it:

• Eliminates ammonia, urine, and fecal smells
• Clumps well for easy scooping
• Choice of packaging: jugs, bags, or a reusable pail

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Nonscents Cat Litter Deodorizer Best Overall

In addition to having a clever name, NonScents does a great job of neutralizing odors at their source. Made from a special concentrated zeolite formula, it coats pet waste to eliminate smells, rather than just mask them.

It comes in a helpful little shaker bottle which allows you to easily control how much you apply. This can help target especially noxious messes, too, so if your cat just ate a bunch of tacos and climbed into the litter box with a magazine under her arm, youll be prepared. This helps extend the life of your litter, as you wont have to change a perfectly good box just because there are lingering odors.

There are no perfumes or other chemicals inside, and the deodorizer itself is allegedly scent-free. However, we found that it definitely has a smell of its own, and while its not overpowering, it might be an unwelcome surprise for users with sensitive noses.

Still, NonScents smells way better than anything your cat will leave in the litter box, and its an easy choice for our top spot of best cat litter deodorizer this year.

• Has a smell some may find off-putting